During the Sport Massage Diploma Courses that the students attend there are various stages at which there are assessments, tutorials and then at the end of the course, final exams. For these assessments and exams the students require "bodies" to work on and this where our volunteers get the opportunity to receive sports massage for free.

A few weeks prior to any sports massage event requiring volunteers you will receive an email with details of times and locations asking if you are available and interested in attending, all you need to do is respond.

It is extremely important that you check the date and time carefully on the request letter to ensure that are not likely to be called into work at the last minute, if you cannot be certain then please do not apply as finding a replacement volunteer can be a very time consuming task. Any volunteer cancelling their sports massage at short notice will be removed from the list.

HOW TO APPLY

Please Note: We are currently only accepting Oncology Massage Volunteers, as detailed below.

If you are interested, please apply via email apply@nlssm.com including the following information:

two contact telephone numbers

your address

your occupation

any underlying medical conditions that you have been seen by a Doctor for

details of any therapies you are currently undergoing

ONCOLOGY MASSAGE VOLUNTEERS

Alternatively, we run an Oncology Massage Course which we require volunteers for. Because of the nature of the course, it is essential that volunteers for this course have a history of cancer. If this is applicable to you, then please state in your volunteer application email as detailed above.

VOLUNTEER EXPECTATION & GUIDELINES

We offer a number of opportunities to receive treatment from our students either as a volunteer or within student clinic. The following explanation will hopefully help you to decide which is more appropriate and to explain what you can expect from your sessions.

Exams and Day 22 Clinic - what you can expect:

You will be greeted by one of the teaching staff and shown where you can wait, if there are coffee and tea facilities they will be offered to you. At the start of the session as a group the process will be explained, and you will be assigned to a student. If you have any concerns please speak with the staff member.

Duration - Each sport and remedial massage session will last 60 to 90 minutes. Please note that this does not mean you will be massaged for the full duration of time.

Medical History - Students will start off by taking a thorough case history, if there is anything that is of concern, or you are under any medical supervision, have had any surgery within the past 3 months, or are being treated for a recent injury, please inform the lead instructor on the day. Certain conditions are contraindicated and should you have such a condition you will be asked not to participate in the session. You may check with the office to determine if you are suitable to volunteer prior to registering.

What to wear - Students will also perform a postural assessment so please wear appropriate clothing (i.e. shorts or bathing suit) as there will not necessarily be total privacy during this process. It is important that the instructor observes what the student does in order to ensure accurate information is taken.

Privacy / Modesty - Our exams and clinic days are conducted in an open plan environment. While great measures are taken to preserve client modesty you will be in a room with other people. If you would prefer a private session we suggest booking into the student clinic run during the week and is £25 per hour.

Assessment & Testing - Further testing could include range of motion, biomechanical and or gait analysis.

Sport Massage Treatment - During the actual sport and remedial massage session the student will apply a variety of soft tissue techniques appropriate to what he/she has found.

Homecare - After the student has completed the treatment he/she will offer relevant homecare advice

Evaluation - At the end of the session you will be asked to fill in an evaluation form that is to be handed back to the tutor. We hope your session is beneficial and your evaluation reflects this but it is imperative that honest feedback is given, this will help our students to improve and become successful practitioners.

What to do after you leave:

Water - Please drink more water than normal, keeping well hydrated in order to help with the process of flushing out any toxins that might have been released from the treatment process.

Exercise - Avoid any strenuous exercise and allow your body to adjust to the changes that the treatment might have made. It is not advisable to go and play any sport, go for a run or attend the gym after your session.

Treatment reaction - If you have not had any massage prior to this or it has been a long time between sessions your reaction to the treatment might be more pronounced. You also might have an emotional reaction to the treatment, please do not be alarmed as this is not an unusual experience. Other reactions could include feeling very tired, cold and shaky. It is also normal to feel some achy or bruise like sensations the next day but should not go beyond this and should not be felt unless you move the particular muscles in question. There should not be any visible bruises and any soreness should be resolved within 24 hours. If you have any concerns please feel free to call the office a speak to a senior therapist.

Cancellation

Once your booking has been confirmed and you find that you can no longer attend, you must notify the office at least 4 working days prior to the event so that we can find a replacement.

In the case of volunteers attending examinations, last minute cancellations may force a student to be unable to take their final exams, it is vital that you understand the importance of your role and if you need to cancel please do so in plenty of time.

We look for reliable candidates and if there is a habit of cancellations made less than 4 days prior to their finals we will remove your name from the volunteers list.

NLSSM also operates a zero tolerance policy to any rude behavior towards our staff and students. You will be removed from our records immediately and never invited back.

Please remember your role is very important and your commitment to a confirmed booking is imperative.

Last bit…

If at any time during the sport massage session or afterwards you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to either speak with a tutor on the day or phone the office at a later date.

Should you want more regular sport & remedial massages NLSSM does have a student clinic that runs during the week and cost £25 for the one hour. You can find the appointment times on the website under clinic.

Once again thank you for being a part of the students massage training.

Getting to the Venue

We operate from three different sites. All directions and addresses can be found on our Contact Us page. If you are unsure of the location, please confirm with the office.

Please allow yourself enough time to get to the venue. If it is your first time attending you can find excellent picture directions on our website.

All sports massage sessions begin promptly. If you arrive late we might have already started in which case you will more than likely have lost your appointment time.